Method of making a weldless link



May 22, 1934.

C. J. MILLER METHOD OF MAKING A WELDLESS LINK Filed May 31, 1935 INVENTOR, 11/ /3226?) @QZEKW Patented May 22, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE METHOD OF MAKING A WELDLESS LINK Charles J. Miller, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 31, 1933, Serial No. 673,575 2 Claims. (01. 59- 12) This invention relates to oil rig, elevator links and to a method for the production thereof.

Links of this class are subject to great strains and to sudden load shocks'and it is an object of this invention to provide such a link with a preponderance of metal at its top bow and thus reinforce it at the section of greatest tension.

The invention consists in certain advancements in this art as set forth in the ensuing disclosure and having, with the above, additional objects and advantages, as hereinafter developed, and whose construction and manner of manufacture will be made manifest in the description of the herewith illustrative embodiment; it being understood that modifications, variations and adaptations may be resorted to within the scope, principle and spirit of the invention as it is more directly claimed hereinafter.

Figures 1 to inclusive illustrate the link at progressive steps of its production.

In the making of the link a billet 2 of steel of requisite dimensions for a given size link is selected. From this there is produced a weldless link unit in the method now to be described. The square corners 3 of the billet are sheared off to a suitable degree to eliminate the excess material there, and the ends are rounded to form flat discs 4 between which the shank is reduced in width at 5; the shank being drawn out from time to time to keep a uniform thickness from end to end; Fig. 4.

Each end disc 4 is now punched with a gen erally circular hole, one of which, 6, Fig. 4, is about concentric with the disc, but the other hole 7, Fig. 5, is made eccentric in the direction of the shank 5 so that the bow 9 of the hole 7 is materially wider on the axis of the shank. In other words, the bow is of crescent form in plan. Each hole 6-7 is somewhat elongated. on the side toward the shank 5.

This blank is now die-shaped, Fig. 6, to make a cross-section in the form of two, close, parallel bars 10-10 which are joined by a thin longitudinal web 11 which ends at the hole elongations; the bars preferably being of cylindrical form- The web 11 is now pruiched out to free the bars 1010, as shown in plan in Fig. '7, following which the end loops 12-13 are expanded to a desired degree, and the side bars 10-10 are straightened to tangents of the endloops, Fig. 8. In links of 0 the types here concerned one of the ends is much larger in arc than the other, as indicated by loop 13.

The final step is to die-shape the loop 13 to finish form, Fig. 10. Preferably the shaping die, Fig. 9, will give to the link stock a cross-section of generally oval form 14, Fig. 9; the major axis being on the plane of the link, Fig. 8, and in some cases the oval section may tend to the ovate, as here shown, with its larger end outward of the link structure. Thus the outer half of the bow of link-end 13 has the greater strength. It is understood that the shaping-dies 16, Fig. 9, preserve the crescent contour of the end 13.

What is claimed is:

1. Link-making which consists of shaping a fiat billet to dumb-bell plan presenting end discs connected by a flat shank, punching each disc to provide holes from top to bottom, one hole being offcenter to provide a crescent shaped bow end, shaping the flat shank to form close parallel bars connected by a thin web extending uniformly from eye-to-eye, then separating the bars along the web and spreading them, enlarging the eyes and shaping the larger, bow-end to oval-crosssection of ovate tendency.

2. Link-making which consists of shaping a fiat billet to dumb-bell plan presenting end discs connected by a fiat shank, perforating each disc to provide holes from top to bottom, one hole being off-center to provide a crescent shaped bow end, shaping the fiat shank to form close parallel bars connected by a thin web extending uniformly from eye to eye, then separating the bars along the web and spreading them, enlarging the eyes and shaping the larger, bow-end to oval crosssection.

CHARLES J. MILLER. 

